[Qualitative blood flow parameters in the spiral artery and progesterone concentration in pregnancy complicated by threatened abortion]. / Jakosciowe parametry przeplywu krwi w tetnicach spiralnych a stezenie progesteronu w surowicy krwi u ciezarnych zagrozonych poronieniem.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine the values of i.e. resistance index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) in the spiral arteries and to evaluate the maternal serum concentration of progesterone trying to find correlation between these parameters in the group of patients in early pregnancy complicated by threatened abortion. STUDY METHODS: We have analysed 30 pregnant women between 5th and 12th weeks of pregnancy with the symptoms of vaginal bleeding & lower abdominal pains diagnosed as threatened abortion. In all patients transvaginal ultrasound examination with pulse color Doppler was performed. The RI and PI values were calculated for blood flow velocity waveforms obtained from the spiral arteries. The concentration of progesterone in maternal serum was evaluated by Microparticle Enzyme Immunoassay. The correlation between analysed parameters and pregnancy duration was examined with use of linear correlation by Pearson. The correlation between Doppler and biochemical parameters were analysed with use of rang correlation method by Spearman. RESULTS: Thirty flow velocity waveforms from spiral arteries were analysed and blood flow indices were calculated. We have found statistically significant negative correlation between the values of both blood flow parameters (RI & PI) and successive weeks of pregnancy (p < 0.001) and statistically significant positive correlation between maternal serum concentration of progesterone and pregnancy duration (p < 0.05). In the tested group in 40% of patients the level of progesterone was abnormal. We have not find any correlation between serum progesterone concentration and doppler parameters in our study. CONCLUSIONS: There is observed the characteristic drop of resistance to the blood flow in the vessels of the uteroplacental circulation in the successive weeks of early pregnancy in patients with threatened abortion similar to normal early pregnancies. Lack of correlation between maternal serum concentration of progesterone and blood flow parameters indicates that other hormonal factors play major role in the regulation of the blood flow in these vessels in early pregnancy. Only the combination of Doppler blood flow analysis in spiral arteries and progesterone evaluation in the maternal serum performed in first trimester may be useful for the intensive fetal monitoring of high risk pregnancies.

Short-term effects of air pollution on hospital admissions of respiratory diseases in Europe: a quantitative summary of APHEA study results. Air Pollution and Health: a European Approach.

The Air Pollution and Health: a European Approach (APHEA) project is a coordinated study of the short-term effects of air pollution on mortality and hospital admissions. Five West European cities (i.e., London, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Paris, Milano) contributed several years of hospital admissions data for all respiratory causes. In the current study, the authors describe the results obtained from the quantitative pooling (meta-analysis) of local analyses. The diagnostic group was defined by ICD 460-519. The age groups studied were 15-64 y (i.e., adults) and 65+ y (elderly). The air pollutants studied were sulfur dioxide; particles (i.e., Black Smoke or total suspended particles); ozone; and nitrogen dioxide. The pollutants were obtained from existing fixed-site monitors in a standardized manner. We used Poisson models and standardized confounder models to examine the associations between daily hospital admissions and air pollution. We conducted quantitative pooling by calculating the weighted means of local regression coefficients. We used a fixed-effects model when no heterogeneity could be detected; otherwise, we used a random-effects model. When possible, the authors investigated the factors correlated with heterogeneity. The most consistent and strong finding was a significant increase of daily admissions for respiratory diseases (adults and elderly) with elevated levels of ozone. This finding was stronger in the elderly, had a rather immediate effect (same or next day), and was homogeneous over cities. The elderly were affected more during the warm season. The Sulfur dioxide daily mean was available in all cities, and it was not associated consistently with an adverse effect. Effects were present in areas in which more than one station was used in the assessment of daily exposure. Some significant associations were observed, although no conclusion that related to an overall particle effect could be drawn. The effect of Black Smoke was significantly stronger with high nitrogen dioxide levels on the same day, but nitrogen dioxide itself was not associated with admissions. The ozone results were in good agreement with the results of similar U.S. studies. The coherence of the results of this study and other results gained under different conditions strengthens the argument for causality.

[The evaluation of the efficiency of treatment in ectopic pregnancy with the application of various surgical procedures]. / Ocena skutecznosci leczenia ciazy ektopowej z zastosowaniem róznych metod operacyjnych.

In our study we analyzed 54 women with confirmed diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy, in whom two different surgical approaches were performed. There were 40 salpingotomies and 14 salpingectomies. The dynamics of the decrease of beta hCG serum level were assessed. The beta hCG levels not greater than 5 mIU/ml (2nd IS) were the markers of the recovery. Similar therapeutic effect was obtained in both testing group. The normalisation of the beta hCG serum level was observed after 19th and 21st days after salpingectomy and salpingotomy, respectively.

Short term effect of air pollution on mortality in Polish urban populations--what is different?

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess, within the multinational European Community funded APHEA project, the relationship between daily ambient air pollution with sulphur dioxide (SO2) and black smoke (BS) and the daily number of deaths from all causes except external, from cardiovascular diseases, and from respiratory diseases taking into account several possible confounding factors. DESIGN: Time series analysis with the application of Poisson regression to the counts of daily number of deaths from selected causes over several years. Data were obtained from the computer files of individual death records in four Polish cities. Criteria developed for all the centres participating in the project were applied to the process of model building. SETTING: Four Polish cities - Cracow (period 1977-89), Lodz (1977-90), Poznan (1983-90), and Wroclaw (1979-89). SUBJECTS: Permanent residents of the cities who died in a city of residence or in a surrounding region during the study period. MAIN RESULTS: There were significant positive associations between mortality from all causes excluding external ones and SO2 and BS in Cracow and in Lodz and between mortality from cardiovascular diseases and SO2 in Cracow alone. In other cities the association was either non-significant or significant but in the opposite direction. No significant positive association was found between respiratory deaths and these pollutants. CONCLUSIONS: Short term effect of air pollution on mortality in Polish urban population cannot be ignored. However, differences observed between the cities suggest that the association may be not so straightforward and therefore there is a need of further studies to identify additional factors that may modify and confound the association.

[Temporal and spatial analysis of hospitalization for selected diseases in Poland associated with certain environmental factors. I. Current trends in hospitalization for certain diseases]. / Czasowe i terytorialne zróznicowanie hospitalizacji wybranych chorób w Polsce w powiazaniu z niektórymi czynnikami srodowiska. CZ. I. Czasowe trendy hospitalizacji z powodu wybranych chorób.

In the present study of hospitalization rates during the period 1979-1990 for some of the diseases considered to be related to environmental contamination were analyzed. Selected diagnosis included malignant melanoma and other malignant neoplasm of skin, malignant neoplasm of bladder, myeloid and monocytic leukaemia, aplastic anaemia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, diseases of skin and subcutaneous tissue, spontaneous abortion and congenital anomalies. The performed analysis has shown that in 1979-1990 discharge rates had significant growing trends in the both urban and rural population in the case of malignant neoplasm of bladder, leukaemia, spontaneous abortion and congenital anomalies in infants. There were no significant trends in hospitalization of malignant melanoma and other malignant neoplasm of skin, aplastic anaemia and asthma.

[Temporal and spatial analysis of hospitalization for selected diseases in Poland due to certain environmental factors. II. Spatial analysis of environmental differences]. / Czasowe i terytorialne zróznicowanie hospitalizacji wybranych chorób w polsce w powiazaniu z niektórymi czynnikami srodowiska. Cz. II. Analiza zróznicowania terytorialnego.

The present study was aimed at assessment of a degree of regional differences in hospitalized morbidity in Poland for some of diseases considered to be related to environmental contamination and its relationship with general environmental characteristic of the regions. The performed analysis has shown that however in recent years there have been substantial differences in the discharge rates between provinces of Poland, these differences are not well explained by differences in general environmental factors. The possible reasons of these results have been discussed.